Article attaching machine



Aug. 22, 1944.

Filed March-6.v 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gmc/whom Patented Aug. 22, 1944ARTICLE ATTACHING MACHINE Hermann Gunther, Elizabeth, N. J., assignor toThe Singer .Manufacturing Company, Eliza.- beth, N. J., a corporation ofNew Jersey Application March 6, 194,3, Serial No. 478,246

13 Claims.

This invention relates to article attaching machines and moreparticularly to an improved Work-holder for such machines.

It is quite common to sew handles to hand bags etc., and at the sametime to secure thereto a reinforcing pad of leather; certain ones of thestitches which attach the pad to the article also serving to secure thehandle thereto. In performing this operation there are three articles,via-the bag, the` handle and the pad, which have to be accuratelypositioned relative to each other, and clamped against movement, priorto the beginning of the sewing operation. This has been difficult to do,because the operator has only two hands to hold the three articles andthe articles are of such nature that their positions are easilydisturbed.

In my pending U. S. patent application Serial No. 454,899, led Augustl5, 1942, I have disclosed a Work-holder for article attaching machinescomprising a work-supporting plate adapted to support a body materialand two separable workclamping members overlying the work-support withone clamp member above the other, common means for lifting both of saidclamp-members and hand-actuated releasable means for disconnecting oneof said clamp-members from said lifting means so that the upper of saidclamp-members may be held elevated, to permit positioning of the pad,after the lower clamp-member has been lowered upon the workpiece.

The present invention is an improvement of my prior `construction and ithas as an object to obtain all the advantages of said prior constructionplus the advantage of successively lowering the clamp-members intocontact with the work without the necessity of releasing, by hand,either of said clamp-members from the common lifting means. Y

Stated more specifically, this invention has as its primary object toprovide an improved workholder for article attaching machines which isadapted to hold a number of separate articles in assembled relation andso to construct and arrange the work-holder and its lifting means that,during one complete manipulation of a suitable treadle, the articles maybe positioned and clamped successively.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means forrigidly supporting the workclamp against deliection under the influenceof the clamp-lifting means.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear,the invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements ofparts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawingsof a preferred embodiment of the invention, from which the severalfeatures of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will bereadily understood by those skilled in the art.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an article-attachingmachine embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 3-3 ofFig. 1, with the needlebar and clamp-lifter omitted. y v Y Fig. 4 is avertical sectional view taken substantially on the lines 4 4 of Figs. 2and 3, with certain elements shown in elevation. Fig. 5 is a face viewof the product of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1 and comprising abody material, a handle and a reinforcing pad, all sewed together by asingle continuous row of stitching.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the invention is disclosedas embodied in an articleattaching machine comprising a frame includingabed-plate I, column 2, arm 3 and a bracket-arm head 4. Within the head4 there is mounted, for endwise reciprocation, a needle-bar 5 carrying,at its lower end, an eye-pointed needle 6. Cooperating with the needle,in the formation of stitches, is a loop-taker designated generallyas 1,in Fig. 1. Both the needle-bar and the loop-,taker are actuated byconventional means, not shown, from a main shaft 8 journaled lengthwiseof the arm 3 and carrying at its rear end loose and fast beltdrivenpulleys 9 and I0, respectively. Mounted horizontally in the standard 2is a shaft II on which is journaled a clamp-actuating and cyclecontrolcam-wheel I2 having clamp-actuating cam-grooves I3 and I4 in theopposite faces thereof, see Fig. 1. The cam-wheel is rotated from themain shaft 8 through the medium of a worm w and cooperating worm wheelw.

Located at the upper side of the bed-plate I is a work-holding clampdesignatedgenerally as C which receives endwise and sidewise movementsfrom the cam grooves I3 and I4 through the medium of mechanism which isgenerally similar to that disclosed in United States patent to I-Iorton,No. 807,676, Dec. 19, 1905, and shown also in my application Serial No.454,899 above mentioned. This clamp comprises a feed-bar I5 which isslidingly mounted on the upper surface of the bed-plate.` rAt itsforward end the feedbar carries a work-supporting plate I6 while at itsrear end it carries a vertically disposed post I1 having at its upperend a cross-head I8. Secured upon the upper surface of the bed-plate Iis a bracket I9 in the upper end of which is journaled a rock-shaft 26.At one end of the shaft 26 there is attached a downwardly extendingslotted arm `2| which engages a swivel block 22 slidingly fitted uponthe post I1. At its other end the 'shaft 28 has secured to it anupwardly extending arm 23 which carries a stud 24 tracking the camgroove I3. Through this mechanism, rotation of the cam-wheel I2 effectsendwise movement of the work-clamp.

Sidewise movement of the clamp is effected from the cam-groove I4. Thatcam-groove is tracked by a stud 25 carried bythe upper arm 26 of atwo-armed lever 21 fulcrumed, at 28, on the bracket I9. The lower arm 29of the lever 21 is connected to one end of a link 36, the other end ofwhich is adjustably connected on one arm 3l of a bell-crank lever 32fulcrumed on a stud 33 threaded into the bed-plate I. The other arm 34of the bell-crank lever 32 is connected, by a link 35, with a plate 35aslidingly mounted on the bed-plate I and connected with the clampfeed-bar I5 to move it laterally.

Thus by rotation of the'cam-wheel I2 the work-clamp is given bothlengthwise and sidewise movements. These movements are so combined as tocause the clamp, and the work carried thereby, to be moved in asubstantially heartshaped path, `whereupon thef'stitch-forming mechanismsews the seam s, shown in Fig. 5.

The cycle of operation of the machine is controlled by a conventionalstop-motion mechanism S. n

The work, consisting of a body material m, a strap-like handle h and areinforcing pad p, is held in assembled relation on the Work-supportingplate by an improved work-holder H forming a part of the work-clamp Cwhich also includes a bifurcated frame or bracket 36 secured upon theclamp feed-bar I5 and having, at its free end, a head 31.

The work-holder H includes a horizontally disposed substantiallyrectangular work-clamping member 38 having, at its rear end, atransversely disposed portion 39 to which is secured, by screws 39a thefoot portion 4E!a of an L-shaped work-holder supporting bar 46 the legportion of which is slidingly mounted in the head 31 of the clampbracket 36. A coil spring 4I, seated in a cavity 42 in the head 31 andbearing at its lower end on a screw stud 43 carried by the bar and atits upper end on a screw stud 43a carried by the head 31, tends to holdthe bar 46 and the member 38 depressed so that the member will hold thebody material m in pressure contact with the work-supporting plate I6 ofthe work-clamp. The work-clamping member 38 is formed with asubstantially heart-shaped cavity or pocket 38e adapted to receive thereinforcing pad p. At its rear end the member 38 is provided, on itsunderside, with a clearance aperture 38h which affords clearance for thehandle h (see Fig. 4). Cooperating with the member 38, in holding thework, is a secondclamping member 44 having spaced, rearwardly extendinglegs 44a pivotally mounted on screws 45 threaded into the portion 39 ofthe member 38. The work-clamp 44 has a downwardly extending flange 44b(Figs. 2 and 4) which fits within the pocket 38a of the member 38 andbears upon the upper face of the peripheral portion of the pad p to holdit in said pocket with the end secured upon the arm 3.

of the handle h clamped between the body material m and the pad. Thework-clamping member 44 is formed with a substantially heartshapedopening 44c within which lthe stitchforming mechanism sews the seam sthrough the pad p, handle h and body material m.

The work-clamping member 44 is normally urged upwardly about its pivotscrews 45 by a coil spring 46 located between the rear end of thatmember and the portion 39 of the workclamping member 38. That spring hasone arm 46EL entering an aperture in the cross-bar 39 and another arm46b underlying the member 44 and having its free end 46 located in anaperture 41 therein.

Overlying the member 44 and bearing downwardly thereon, in opposition tothe spring 46, are two presser-feet 48 projecting laterally from thelower ends of upright presser-bars 49 slidingly mounted in a cavity 5Din the clamp-head 31. Face plates 5I, 5Ia secured to the forward face ofthe clamp head 31, by screws 52, retain the presser-bars in the cavity50.- Bar springs 53, supported by the clamp bracket 36 and having theirfree forward ends 54 bearing upon the upper ends of the presser-bars 49,normally hold the presser-feet 48 and the work-clamping member 44depressed.

Each of the presser-bars 49'is formed with a lateral projection 49awhich carries forwardly projecting studs 55, 55a which, when the machineis in stop position overlie a cross-bar 56 secured upon a clamp-lifterbracket 51 secured upon the lower end of a clamp-lifter bar 58 slidinglymounted in the machine head 4. At its upper end the bar 58 carries acollar 59 beneath which engages the forked end 66a of a clamplifterlever 60, fulcrumed at 6I on a bracket 62, The opposite end of the lever60 has connected thereto one end of a chain 63 the other end of which isconnected to a suitable treadle (not shown) by means of which the lever6D may be turned about its fulcrum in two stages of movement to lift thebar 58. Initial upward movement of the bar 58 lifts the bracket 51,cross-bar 56 and presser-bars 49, thus relieving the pressure of thefeet 48 on the work-clamping member 44 and permitting it to be tippedupwardly about its pivots 45 by the coil spring 46. Continued upwardmovement of the clamp-lifter bar causes bodily lifting of thework-holder supporting bar 40 and the workclamping members 38 and 44carried thereby in opposition to the spring 4I. This is effected by thestud 55 engaging beneath the hooked upper end 64a of a, latch-lever 64fulcrumed on a shoulder screw 65 threaded into the bar 49. A wire spring66 secured to the bar 46 by a screw 61 has one end bearing against thelatch lever 64 and normally holds it in the position shown in full linesin Fig. 2 i. e. with its end 64a overlying the stud 55. The upper end ofthe latch lever is formed with a cam surface 64b which, during the rststage of upward movement of the bar 46 and the latch-lever carriedthereby, engages a shoulder 68 formed on the plate 5I. The second stageof movement of the lifter-means causes the shoulder to turn thelatch-lever clock.'- wise, as seen in Fig. 2, thus freeing the hookedend 64a thereof from the stud 55 and permitting the bar 48, and theparts carried thereby, to be forced downwardly by the spring 4I whilecross-bar 56.

To prevent deection of the clamp bracket 36 under the upward thrust ofthe work-holder lifting means, I have provided means for transmittingthat-thrust to the rigid arm 3 of the machine frame. This has beeneffected by forming, on the upper arm 3l; of the clamp-bracket, ahorizontally disposed substantially rectangular shelf or platform 69,the upper fiat surface 69a of which is constantly engaged by a roller'l0 rotatably journaled on pintles 80 within the bifurcated end 1I of arigid bracket 'l2 secured to the rear side of the arm V3 by screws 13.The sizes and proportions of the surface 69a and the roller l and themovements of the work-clamp relative to the axis of the roller are suchthat the roller is maintained in rolling contact with said surface inall of the positions and movements of the work-clamp during a sewingcycle.

To load the work-holder the operator gives a rst stage of actuation tothe treadle connected with the lever 60, thereby swinging that leverclockwise, as seen in Fig. 1. This raises the clamp-lifter bar 58,Which, through the bracket 51, cross-bar 56, pins 55, 55a andlatch-lever 64 simultaneously raise the presser-feet 48, the work-holdersupporting bar 40 and the lower and upper work-clamping members 38 and44, respectively, carried by the bar 40. This places the work-clampingmembers 38 and 44 in the positions shown in full lines in Fig. 4. Thebody material m is then placed upon the work-supporting plate I6 beneaththe lower member 38 and one end of the handle h is inserted through theclearance aperture 38b in the portion 39 of the lower clamp member intooverlapping relation with the body material as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.When the body material and handle have been properly positioned relativeto the clamp and to each other, the operator gives the clamp liftertreadle its second stage of operation thereby further swinging the lever68 in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 1. This final movement ofthe treadle causes the shoulder 68 on the plate 5| to swing the latchlever 64 clockwise, as seen in Fig. 2 thereby disengaging the end 64athereof from the stud 55 whereupon the spring 4l forces the work-holdersupporting bar 40 downwardly thus causing the work-clamping member 38 tobe brought into pressure contact with the body material m and the handleh to hold them in their assembled positions. Dropping of the lowerclamp-member 38 carries with it the pivots 45 and the rear portion ofupper clampmember 44 while the spring 46 maintains the forward portionof the member in contact with the under side of 'the overlyingpresser-feet 48, which latter are maintained elevatedby continueddepression of the clamp-lifter treadle. This causes the space betweenthe forward end of the member 44 and the member 38 to be increasedthereby giving easy access to the pocket 38a in the lower work-clampingmember for insertion ofthe pad p. After the pad has been located in lthepocket, which is done very readily inasmuch as the shape of the pocketconforms to the shape of the pad, the operator releases theclamp-lifting treadle and permits the presserfeet 48 to descend underthe influence of the springs 53. This lowering of the presser-feet underthe heavy pressure of the springs 53 causes the work-clamping member 44to be swung downwardly about its pivots 45,- in opposition to thelighter spring 46, causing the flange 44b of the member 44Y to bear uponthe marginal portions ofthepad, whereupon the body material, the

handle and the pad are all held against relative movement. The sewingmachine is then started and the uniting seam s is sewed through thethree elements held by the work-clamp, as shown in Fig. 5. After theseam has been completed the machine is automatically brought to rest bythe stop-motion.

From the foregoing it will be perceived that this invention has provideda work-holder for article-attaching machines which greatly facilitatesthe proper locating and clamping of a plurality of articles which are ofsuch nature that they are difficult to arrange relative to each otherand easily disarranged.

It will also be apparent that decided advantages flow from the abilityto give to the workclamping members all of their movements by onecomplete actuation of a suitable clamp-actuating treadle and without thenecessity of actuating any devices by hand. Y

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention what I claim hereinis:

1. A work-holder for article-attaching machines comprising aWork-supporting plate; a lower work-clamping member located above saidplate` and provided with an article-receivingv pocket; spring meansacting to depress said member to cause it to clamp a work-piece on saidplate; a pivotally mounted upper work-clamping member overlying saidpocket and having a portion extending thereinto for engaging an articletherein; spring means tending to tip said upper work-clamping memberupwardly about its pivot to expose said pocket; and other spring meansoperative in opposition to the second mentioned spring means to depresssaid upper work-clamping member into contact with an article in saidpocket.

2. A work-holder for article-attaching machines comprising awork-supporting plate; a lower work-clamping member located above saidplate and provided with an article-receiving pocket; spring means actingto depress said member to cause it to clamp a work-piece on said plate;an upper work-clamping member pivotally mounted on said lowerwork-clamping member and overlying said pocket; spring means tending totip said upper work-clamping member upwardly about its pivot and awayfrom the lower work-clamping member to expose said pocket; and aspringdepressed presser-foot engaging said upper workclamping member andacting in opposition to the second mentioned spring means to depresssaid upper Work-clamping member into contact with an article in saidpocket.

3. A work-holder for article-attaching machines comprising awork-supporting plate; a lower work-clamping member located above saidplate and provided with an article-receiving pocket; spring means actingto depress said member to cause it to clamp a work-piece on said plate;an upper work-clamping member pivotally mounted on said lowerwork-clamping member and overlying said pocket; spring means tending totip said upper work-clamping member upwardly about its pivot to exposesaid pocket; a springdepressed presser-foot engaging said upper Work-`clamping member and acting in opposition to the second mentioned springmeans to depress said upper work-clamping member into contact with anarticle in said pocket; and lifter means forsimultaneously lifting saidwork-clamping members and said presser-foot to permit a new work pieceto be placed beneath said lower work-clamping memberl and aI new articleto be inserted into said pocket.

4. Work-holding means for sewing machines comprising a work-support;upper and lower relatively movable clamp-members overlying saidwork-support, said lower clamp-member having an article receivingpocket; individual spring means for depressing said clamp-members; atwostage-movable lifter-means for simultaneously lifting both of saidmembers, in opposition to said spring means, during its iirst stage ofmovement to permit a work-piece to be placed on said worksupport beneathsaid clamp-members; means actuated by said lifter-means during itssecond stage of movement to disconnect the lower one of saidclamp-members from said lifter-means, thereby to permit said lowermember to be depressed upon a work-piece placed upon said worksupportand to expose its article-receiving pocket for the insertion of anarticle; and means thereafter to render said lifter means ineffective tomaintain the upper clamp-member elevated, whereupon said upperclamp-member is lowered by its spring means into contact with saidarticle.

5. Work-holding means for sewing machines comprising a work-support; alower clamp-member overlying said work-support and having an articlereceiving pocket; an upper clamp-member pivotally mounted relative tothe lower clampmember; a relatively weak spring tending to tip saidLipper clamp-member upwardly about its pivot; spring means for bodilydepressing said lower clamp-member; a spring depressed presserfootengaging said upper clamp-member and normally holding it depressed aboutits pivot; a twostage-movable lifter-means for simultaneously liftingboth of said members and said presserfoot, in oposition to said springmeans, during its rst stage of movement to permit a work-piece to beplaced on said work-support beneath said clamp-members; means actuatedby said liftermeans during its second stage of movement to disconnectthe lower one of said clamp-members from said lifter-means to permitsaid lower member to be depressed upon a work-piece placed upon saidwork-support and to expose its articlereceiving pocket for the insertionof `an article; and means thereafter to render said lifter meansineffective to maintain the presser-foot elevate-:l whereupon saidpresser-foot depresses said upper clamp-member into contact with saidarticle.

6. Work-holding means for sewing machines comprising a work-support;upper and lower work-clamp members overlying said work-support, thelower clamp-member having an articlereceiving pocket; a common supportfor both of said work-clamp members, the upper of said members beingpivotally mounted relative to said common support; means tending tot-ipsaid upper work-clamp member upwardly about its pivot; means acting onsaid common support to lift both of sai-d work-clamp members bodily awayfrom said work-support; spring means to depress the lower of saidwork-clamp members into contact with a work-piece on said work-support,and other means to depress said upper workclamp member into contact withan article located in the pocket of said lower work-clamp member.

'7. Work-holding means for sewing machines comprising a work-support;upper and lower work-clamp members overlying said work-support, thelower clamp-member having an articlereceiving pocket; a common supportfor both of said work-clamp members, the lower clamp-member being xedlysecured thereon and the upper of said members being pivotally mountedrelative thereto pmeans tending to tip said upper workclamp memberupwardly about its pivot; restraining means engaging said upperwork-clamping member normally to prevent tipping thereof; twostagemovable means acting on said common support during its rst stage ofmovement to lift both of said work-clamp members and said restrainingmeans away from said work-support to permit a work-piece to be placed onsaid work-support; spring'means rendered effective by the second stageof movement of said lifting means to depress the lower of saidwork-clamp members into Contact with a work-piece on said worksupportand to expose said article-receiving pocket for the reception of anarticle; and other means thereafter to depress said upper workclampmember into'contact with an article located in said pocket.

8. In an article-attaching machine having a f rame including abed-plate; a work-clamp movably supported above said bed-plate andincluding a bracket provided with a head; a workholder supporting-barslidingly mounted in said head; a spring normally urging said bardownwardly; a pair of work-holders carried by said bar; one of saidwork-holders being pivoted to swing relative to said bar; a springnormally urging said pivoted work-holder upwardly about its pvot; aspring depressed presser-member slidingly mounted in said head andnormally holding said pivoted Work-holder depressed about its pivot;means to lift said presser-member; a latch member carried by said barand engaging said presser-member to effect upward movement of said barwith said presser-member; and means rendered eifective by a furtherupward movement of said presser-member to disconnect said latchtherefrom to permit said bar to be moved downwardly under the influenceof the spring acting thereon.

9. In an article-attaching machine having a frame including a bed-plate,a standard, and an overhanging arm; a Work-clamp movably supported abovesaid bed-plate and including a bracket provided with a head; first andsecond work-holders slidingly mounted on said head; a spring normallyurging said first work-holder downwardly; a spring-depressedpresser-member slidingly mounted in said `head and normally urging saidsecond work-holder downwardly; means effective in two stages to liftsaid presser-member; a latch connected with said rst work-holder andengaging said presser-member to effect upward movement of said rstwork-holder with said presser-member during its rst stage of movement;and means effective by the second stage of movement of saidpresser-member to disconnect said latch therefrom to permit said rstwork-holder to be moved downwardly under the inuence of the springacting thereon.

10. A sewing machine comprising a frame including a bed-plate and anoverhanging arm; a work-clamp mounted for horizontal movement on saidbed-plate; means for moving said workclamp horizontally; lifter meansfor lifting a portion of said work-clamp to permit work to be applied toand removed from said Work-clamp; and means to transmit to said-overhanging arm the upward thrust of said lifter means.

11. A sewing machine comprising a frame including a bed-plate and anoverhanging arm; a

work-clamp including a `clamp-frame mountedA for horizontal movementons-said bed-plate and a vertically movable Work-holder carried by saidclamp-frame; spring means carried by said clamp-frame normallydepressing said Workholder; means for lifting said work-holder inopposition to said spring means; and means including contacting elementscarried by said clampframe and said overhanging arm for transmitting tosaid armthe upward thrusts transmitted to said clamp-frame by saidWork-holder lifting means.

l2. A sewing machine comprising a frame including a bed-plate and anoverhanging arm; a work-clamp including a clamp-frame mounted forhorizontal movement on said bed-plate and a vertically movablework-holder carried by said clamp-frame; spring means carried by saidclamp-frame normally depressing said Workholder; means for lifting saidWork-holder in opposition to said spring means; and means comprising aroller rigidly supported by said arm and a cooperating flat surfaceprovided by said clampframe and contacting said roller for transmittingto said arm the upward thrusts transmitted to said clamp-frame by saidWork-holder lifting means.

13. A sewingl machine comprising a frame including a bed-plate and anoverhanging arm; a work-clamp including a clamp-frame mounted forhorizontal movement on said bed-plate and a vertically movablework-holder carried by said clamp-frame; spring means carried by saidclamp-frame normally depressing said Workholder; means for lifting saidwork-holder in opposition to said spring means; and means to transmit tosaid arm the upward thrusts transmitted to said clamp-frame by saidWork-holder lifting means, comprising a rigid horizontally disposedabutment surface anda cooperating thrust roller engaging said surface,one carried by said clamp-frame and the other carried by said arm, saidsurface and roller being so proportioned that the two are maintained incontact in all of the positions of said Work-clamp on said bed-plate.

HERMANN GNTHER.

